Complaints Policy

If a contractor we referred did wrong by you, this is how to tell us. Also — where to escalate to a South Carolina regulator when the situation calls for it.

What This Page Is For

If you were referred to a contractor through Columbia Septic Tanks and something went wrong, this is how you tell us. We take these seriously because the referral network only holds together if homeowners keep coming back — one bad contractor burns dozens of leads for everyone else.

This page also explains where to file a formal complaint with a South Carolina regulatory body if that’s what your situation calls for.

Step 1: Tell Us First

Email contact@columbiaseptictanks.com with:

• The contractor’s name.
• Approximate date of the work or the estimate.
• What actually went wrong — quote didn’t match the invoice, no-show, pressure sales, unpermitted work, damage to property, work that started failing quickly, anything else.
• Any paperwork you have — the estimate, the final invoice, a permit number, photos.

You’ll get a real reply, not a form. We take a few days if we need to verify with the contractor, but you will hear back.

Step 2: What We Do With It

1. We contact the contractor and ask for their side. Most complaints have two versions and the truth is usually somewhere between.
2. We help mediate a resolution when one is workable — a rework, a refund of the disputed portion, a corrected invoice, a re-permit.
3. If a contractor shows a pattern (not one isolated bad call), they come out of the referral rotation.
4. We record the complaint internally so it factors into future referral decisions.

We don’t have subpoena power. We can’t force a contractor to refund you or to redo work. What we can do is remove them from a lead channel they value, and in practice that resolves most cases faster than any formal process.

Step 3: When to Escalate to a Regulator

Some issues are bigger than a referral service can handle. These are the right places to file in South Carolina depending on the problem:

South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board

For unlicensed work, work outside the license classification, or contract disputes above the state threshold. Complaints go through the SC Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation (LLR) at llr.sc.gov.

SC Department of Environmental Services (SCDES, formerly DHEC)

For septic-specific issues — unpermitted installations, non-code drain field work, or violations of the state onsite wastewater regulations. Contact the Richland or Lexington County environmental affairs office first, then the state office if unresolved. State portal: scdes.sc.gov.

South Carolina Attorney General — Consumer Protection Division

For deceptive practices, bait-and-switch quoting, or refusal to honor written warranties. File at consumer.sc.gov.

Better Business Bureau of Southeast Carolina

Not a regulator, but useful for creating a public record and often prompts a fast response from the contractor. File at bbb.org/us/sc.

Complaints About Columbia Septic Tanks Itself

If your issue is with this site — bad advice, a broken form, spam calls after submitting a quote, an ad that misrepresented something — email the same address and put “SITE COMPLAINT” in the subject. We’d rather hear it than not know.

Response Times

Initial acknowledgement: within 2 business days.

Full response after investigation: typically 5 to 10 business days depending on contractor responsiveness.